Recount Fever? Nope, Just Another Post-Election In N.H.

Recount: Democrat Lisa Nash stand and watches as ballots are inspected Nov. 14, 2018 in the race for Hillsborough County District 41, which represents Amherst and Bedford in the N.H. House of Representatives.

When there is national news about recounts—ahem, Florida—New Hampshire tends to see an increase in such requests. In 2000, the year of Florida's hanging chads, the Granite State had 28. This year, there are 20.

Rep. Dennis Fields of Sanbornton counts off ballots during the recount Wednesday.

Credit Dan Tuohy / NHPR

the state’s paper ballots are recounted by hand.

“It's very easy to have a recount and the recounts are helpful because I have always done recounts by hand so that the candidates get to actually see the ballots and we have ballots unlike a number of states that have voting machines without paper trail,” Gardner says.

“We have ballots and candidates accept defeat much easier after they have seen why they lost - look at the ballots and actually see the marks on the ballots.”

There are a lot of close races in New Hampshire. Every election cycle there is bound to be one race in which a candidate requesting a recount realizes victory.

Earlier this week, Donna Mombourquette, a Democrat from New Boston, enjoyed such a win. She’s now a Representative-elect.

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The final weeks of last week’s midterm campaign saw a flurry of partisan activity: Last-minute Facebook ads touting Gov. Chris Sununu’s plan for paid family and medical leave. Fliers criticizing Republican lawmakers “who cozy up to big corporations and special interests.” Phone banks backed by a group called "Families First," encouraging voters to support Democrats on Election Day.

Last session, in a body of 400, there were just 23 state representatives under the age of 35.

But Democrats and Republicans who pay attention to the demographics of the State House say the next legislative session will see a boost in younger folks, including 42 representatives under the age of 40.